Budget yatra into poll-bound states

What the Budget means for four states facing elections soon

Tamil Nadu (UPA govt)
Pluses for the Cong/UPA
*Waiver of loans for weavers - Tamil Nadu has a substantial weaver community
*Scholarships for SC/STs at pre-matric level

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Minuses
*Perception that no strong measures listed to control rise in prices of essentials
*Half-hearted measures to tackle the problem of black money, which is going to be a plank of the Opposition

Kerala
Pluses for the Cong/UPA
* Impetus to science and technology/education: Rs 100 crore for Veterinary and Animal Science University in Wayanad, Rs 50 crore for Aligarh Muslim University campus in Malappuram
* Sops for ailing handloom and spices industry
* Hike in Haj subsidy

Minuses
* No big project for the southern state

Assam (UPA govt)
Pluses for the Cong/UPA
* Raising I-T limit: The salaried class comprises the biggest chunk of voters after farmers
* Waiver of loans for weavers: Almost every rural and semi-urban household in Assam has weavers

Minuses
* Non-provision for measures against flood and erosion: A major issue for 8 million people across the Brahmaputra and Barak river valleys

West Bengal
Pluses for Cong/UPA
* The grants to institutes such as IIT Kharagpur, IIM Calcutta, Aligarh Muslim University
* Funds for the metro railways in Kolkata
* Rs 1 cr for promoting universal brotherhood in Rabindranath Tagore's name

Minuses
* No big-bang proposals that can directly relate to the masses. The Left may use it to campaign against its opponents